U.S. patent application number 14/782862 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-03 for integrated heat-exchanging mold systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.. Invention is credited to Grant O. Cook, III.
Application Number | 20160318101 14/782862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56092136 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160318101 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cook, III; Grant O. |
November 3, 2016 |
INTEGRATED HEAT-EXCHANGING MOLD SYSTEMS
Abstract
An example integrated heat-exchanging mold system for
fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool includes a mold assembly
that defines an infiltration chamber to receive and contain matrix
reinforcement materials and a binder material used to form the
infiltrated downhole tool. A heat-exchanging enclosure is disposed
about at least a portion of an exterior of the mold assembly, and
the heat-exchanging enclosure includes one or more component parts
that include at least one sidewall extending along a height of the
mold assembly. One or more thermal conduits are positioned within
the one or more component parts, including the at least one
sidewall, and thereby placed in thermal communication with the
infiltration chamber.
Inventors: |
Cook, III; Grant O.;
(Spring, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Halliburton Energy Services,
Inc.
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
56092136 |
Appl. No.: |
14/782862 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
December 2, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2014/068083 |
371 Date: |
October 7, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22F 2005/001 20130101;
B22F 2999/00 20130101; E21B 10/42 20130101; B22F 7/06 20130101;
B22F 2999/00 20130101; E21B 10/54 20130101; B22F 3/03 20130101;
B22F 3/003 20130101; C22C 1/1036 20130101; E21B 10/00 20130101;
C22C 1/1036 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B22F 3/03 20060101
B22F003/03; E21B 10/54 20060101 E21B010/54; B22F 7/06 20060101
B22F007/06 |
Claims
1. An integrated heat-exchanging mold system for fabricating an
infiltrated downhole tool, comprising: a mold assembly that defines
an infiltration chamber to receive and contain matrix reinforcement
materials and a binder material used to form the infiltrated
downhole tool; a heat-exchanging enclosure disposed about at least
a portion of an exterior of the mold assembly, the heat-exchanging
enclosure comprising one or more component parts that include at
least one sidewall extending along a height of the mold assembly;
and one or more thermal conduits positioned within the one or more
component parts, including the at least one sidewall, and thereby
placed in thermal communication with the infiltration chamber.
2. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the infiltrated downhole tool is selected from the group consisting
of a drill bit, a cutting tool, a non-retrievable drilling
component, a drill bit body associated with casing drilling of
wellbores, a drill-string stabilizer, a cone for a roller-cone
drill bit, a model for forging dies used to fabricate support arms
for roller-cone drill bits, an arm for a fixed reamer, an arm for
an expandable reamer, an internal component associated with
expandable reamers, a rotary steering tool, a
logging-while-drilling tool, a measurement-while-drilling tool, a
side-wall coring tool, a fishing spear, a washover tool, a rotor, a
stator, a blade for a downhole turbine, and a housing for a
downhole turbine.
3. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the one or more component parts further include at least one of a
top plate positioned above the mold assembly and a bottom plate
positioned below the mold assembly, and wherein the one or more
thermal conduits are further positioned within at least one of the
top plate and the bottom plate.
4. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the one or more thermal conduits circulate a fluid through the one
or more component parts, the fluid being selected from the group
consisting of a gas, water, steam, an oil, a coolant, a molten
metal, a molten metal alloy, a fluidized bed, a molten salt, and
any combination thereof.
5. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, further
comprising: a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the one or more
thermal conduits for thermally conditioning the fluid; and a pump
fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger and the one or more thermal
conduits to circulate the fluid through the one or more component
parts.
6. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the one or more thermal conduits comprise a single thermal conduit
that forms a spiral or helical array.
7. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the one or more thermal conduits comprise at least a first set of
thermal conduits and a second set of thermal conduits, and wherein
the first set of thermal conduits is independently operable from
the second set of thermal conduits.
8. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the one or more thermal conduits comprise a plurality of individual
thermal conduits, and wherein each individual thermal conduit is
independently operable.
9. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, further
comprising an outer insulation assembly disposed about at least a
portion of an exterior of the heat-exchanging enclosure and
including at least a sidewall insulator.
10. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 9, wherein
the outer insulation assembly further includes at least one of a
top insulator positioned above the mold assembly and a bottom
insulator positioned below the mold assembly.
11. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the heat-exchanging enclosure comprises a plurality of
heat-exchanging modules and at least one of the one or more thermal
conduits is positioned within each heat-exchanging module.
12. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 11, wherein
the at least one of the one or more thermal conduits is positioned
within a cavity defined in one or more of the plurality of
heat-exchanging modules.
13. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 11, wherein
each heat-exchanging module is made of at least one material
selected from the group consisting of graphite, alumina, a metal, a
ceramic, and any combination thereof.
14. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 1, wherein
the one or more thermal conduits comprise one or more thermal
heating elements selected from the group consisting of a heating
element, a radiant heater, an electric heater, an infrared heater,
an induction heater, one or more induction coils, a heating band,
one or more heated coils, a resistive heating element, a refractory
and conductive metal coil, strip, or bar, or any combination
thereof.
15. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 14, wherein
the one or more thermal heating elements comprise a single thermal
heating element that forms a spiral array.
16. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 14, wherein
the one or more thermal heating elements comprises at least a first
set of thermal heating elements and a second set of thermal heating
elements, and wherein the first and second sets of thermal heating
elements are controlled independent of each other.
17. The integrated heat-exchanging mold system of claim 14, wherein
the one or more thermal heating elements comprises a plurality of
individual thermal heating elements that are each powered
independent of each other.
18. A method for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool,
comprising: arranging a heat-exchanging enclosure about at least a
portion of an exterior of a mold assembly that defines an
infiltration chamber, the heat-exchanging enclosure comprising one
or more component parts that include at least one sidewall
extending along a height of the mold assembly; placing one or more
thermal conduits in thermal communication with the infiltration
chamber, the one or more thermal conduits being positioned within
the one or more component parts including the at least one
sidewall; and actively manipulating a thermal profile of contents
within the infiltration chamber with the one or more thermal
conduits.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein actively manipulating the
thermal profile of the contents within the infiltration chamber
with the one or more thermal conduits comprises heating matrix
reinforcement materials and a binder material disposed within the
infiltration chamber so that the binder material liquefies and
infiltrates the matrix reinforcement materials.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the contents within the
infiltration chamber are molten contents and actively manipulating
the thermal profile of the contents within the infiltration chamber
with the one or more thermal conduits comprises: selectively
cooling portions of the molten contents with the one or more
thermal conduits; and varying a thermal profile of the molten
contents with the one or more thermal conduits and thereby
facilitating directional solidification of the molten contents.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein selectively cooling portions of
the molten contents with the one or more thermal conduits comprises
generating a thermal gradient along an axial height of the mold
assembly with the one or more thermal conduits.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more component parts
further include at least one of a top plate positioned above the
mold assembly and a bottom plate positioned below the mold
assembly, and wherein placing the one or more thermal conduits in
thermal communication with the infiltration chamber comprises
placing the one or more thermal conduits positioned within at least
one of the top plate and the bottom plate in thermal communication
with the infiltration chamber.
23. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more thermal
conduits comprises at least a first set of thermal conduits and a
second set of thermal conduits, the method further comprising
operating the first and second sets of thermal conduits
independently.
24. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more thermal
conduits comprises a plurality of individual thermal conduits, the
method further comprising operating each individual thermal conduit
independently.
25. The method of claim 18, further comprising: arranging an outer
insulation assembly about at least a portion of an exterior of the
heat-exchanging enclosure, the outer insulation assembly including
at least a sidewall insulator; and insulating the mold assembly and
the heat-exchanging enclosure with the outer insulation
assembly.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the outer insulation assembly
further includes a top insulator positioned above the mold
assembly, the method further comprising: simultaneously raising the
sidewall insulator and the top insulator and thereby exposing
portions of the heat-exchanging enclosure; and cooling the mold
assembly as the sidewall insulator and the top insulator are
raised.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the outer insulation assembly
further includes a bottom insulator positioned below the mold
assembly, the method further comprising: moving the bottom
insulator laterally with respect to the mold assembly; and
arranging a thermal heat sink beneath the mold assembly.
28. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more thermal
conduits contain a fluid, and wherein placing the one or more
thermal conduits in thermal communication with the infiltration
chamber comprises circulating the fluid through the one or more
thermal conduits and thereby placing the fluid in thermal
communication with the infiltration chamber.
29. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more thermal
conduits comprise one or more thermal heating elements, and wherein
placing the one or more thermal conduits in thermal communication
with the infiltration chamber comprises placing the one or more
thermal heating elements in thermal communication with the
infiltration chamber.
30. A method, comprising: introducing a drill bit into a wellbore,
the drill bit being formed in an integrated heat-exchanging mold
system that includes a mold assembly defining an infiltration
chamber, and a heat-exchanging enclosure having one or more
component parts that include at least one sidewall, wherein forming
the drill bit comprises: arranging the heat-exchanging enclosure
about at least a portion of an exterior of the mold assembly, the
at least one sidewall extending along a height of the mold
assembly; placing one or more thermal conduits in thermal
communication with the infiltration chamber, the one or more
thermal conduits being positioned within the one or more component
parts including the at least one sidewall; and actively
manipulating a thermal profile of contents within the infiltration
chamber with the one or more thermal conduits; and drilling a
portion of the wellbore with the drill bit.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] A variety of downhole tools are used in the exploration and
production of hydrocarbons. Examples of such downhole tools include
cutting tools, such as drill bits, reamers, stabilizers, and coring
bits; drilling tools, such as rotary steerable devices and mud
motors; and other downhole tools, such as window mills, packers,
tool joints, and other wear-prone tools. Rotary drill bits are
often used to drill wellbores. One type of rotary drill bit is a
fixed-cutter drill bit that has a bit body comprising matrix and
reinforcement materials, i.e., a "matrix drill bit" as referred to
herein. Matrix drill bits usually include cutting elements or
inserts positioned at selected locations on the exterior of the
matrix bit body. Fluid flow passageways are formed within the
matrix bit body to allow communication of drilling fluids from
associated surface drilling equipment through a drill string or
drill pipe attached to the matrix bit body.
[0002] Matrix drill bits may be manufactured by placing powder
material into a mold and infiltrating the powder material with a
binder material, such as a metallic alloy. The various features of
the resulting matrix drill bit, such as blades, cutter pockets,
and/or fluid-flow passageways, may be provided by shaping the mold
cavity and/or by positioning temporary displacement materials
within interior portions of the mold cavity. A preformed bit blank
(or mandrel) may be placed within the mold cavity to provide
reinforcement for the matrix bit body and to allow attachment of
the resulting matrix drill bit with a drill string. A quantity of
matrix reinforcement material (typically in powder form) may then
be placed within the mold cavity with a quantity of the binder
material.
[0003] The mold is then placed within a furnace and the temperature
of the mold is increased to a desired temperature to allow the
binder (e.g., metallic alloy) to liquefy and infiltrate the matrix
reinforcement material. The furnace may maintain this desired
temperature to the point that the infiltration process is deemed
complete, such as when a specific location in the bit reaches a
certain temperature. Once the designated process time or
temperature has been reached, the mold containing the infiltrated
matrix bit is removed from the furnace. As the mold is removed from
the furnace, the mold begins to rapidly lose heat to its
surrounding environment via heat transfer, such as radiation and/or
convection in all directions.
[0004] This heat loss continues to a large extent until the mold is
moved and placed on a cooling plate and an insulation enclosure or
"hot hat" is lowered around the mold. The insulation enclosure
drastically reduces the rate of heat loss from the top and sides of
the mold while heat is drawn from the bottom of the mold through
the cooling plate. This controlled cooling of the mold and the
infiltrated matrix bit contained therein can facilitate axial
solidification dominating radial solidification, which is loosely
termed directional solidification.
[0005] As the molten material of the infiltrated matrix bit cools,
there is a tendency for shrinkage that could result in voids
forming within the bit body unless the molten material is able to
continuously backfill such voids. In some cases, for instance, one
or more intermediate regions within the bit body may solidify prior
to adjacent regions and thereby stop the flow of molten material to
locations where shrinkage porosity is developing. In other cases,
shrinkage porosity may result in poor metallurgical bonding at the
interface between the bit blank and the molten materials, which can
result in the formation of cracks within the bit body that can be
difficult or impossible to inspect. When such bonding defects are
present and/or detected, the drill bit is often scrapped during or
following manufacturing assuming they cannot be remedied. Every
effort is made to detect these defects and reject any defective
drill bit components during manufacturing to help ensure that the
drill bits used in a job at a well site will not prematurely fail
and to minimize any risk of possible damage to the well.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The following figures are included to illustrate certain
aspects of the present disclosure, and should not be viewed as
exclusive embodiments. The subject matter disclosed is capable of
considerable modifications, alterations, combinations, and
equivalents in form and function, without departing from the scope
of this disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary fixed-cutter
drill bit that may be fabricated in accordance with the principles
of the present disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the drill bit of FIG.
1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary mold
assembly for use in forming the drill bit of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIGS. 4A-4C are progressive schematic diagrams of an
exemplary method of fabricating a drill bit.
[0011] FIGS. 5A-5C are partial cross-sectional side views of
various exemplary integrated heat-exchanging mold systems.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of another
exemplary integrated heat-exchanging mold system.
[0013] FIGS. 7A-7F are cross-sectional views of various exemplary
heat-exchanging modules.
[0014] FIGS. 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views of various
additional exemplary heat-exchanging modules.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The present disclosure relates to tool manufacturing and,
more particularly, to integrated heat-exchanging mold systems that
can selectively heat and/or cool infiltrated downhole tools during
fabrication.
[0016] The embodiments described herein provide integrated
heat-exchanging mold systems used for fabricating an infiltrated
downhole tool. The integrated heat-exchanging mold systems
disclosed herein improve melting and solidification by introducing
an alternate design to standard heating and cooling components
commonly used during the infiltration and quenching processes of
infiltrated downhole tools. As a result, a more controlled
production process is achieved that provides desired thermal
profiles for the infiltrated downhole tools.
[0017] As will be appreciated, controlled cooling and, therefore,
solidification of the infiltrated downhole tool, may prove
advantageous in preventing or otherwise mitigating the occurrence
of some defects that commonly occur in infiltrated downhole tools,
such as blank bond-line and nozzle cracking. The integrated
heat-exchanging mold systems disclosed herein may also lower
operating costs and/or heating/cooling cycle times. Moreover, this
may improve quality and reduce the rejection rate of drill bit
components due to defects during manufacturing.
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example
fixed-cutter drill bit 100 that may be fabricated in accordance
with the principles of the present disclosure. It should be noted
that, while FIG. 1 depicts a fixed-cutter drill bit 100, the
principles of the present disclosure are equally applicable to any
type of downhole tool that may be formed or otherwise manufactured
through an infiltration process. For example, suitable infiltrated
downhole tools that may be manufactured in accordance with the
present disclosure include, but are not limited to, oilfield drill
bits or cutting tools (e.g., fixed-angle drill bits, roller-cone
drill bits, coring drill bits, bi-center drill bits, impregnated
drill bits, reamers, stabilizers, hole openers, cutters, cutting
elements), non-retrievable drilling components, aluminum drill bit
bodies associated with casing drilling of wellbores, drill-string
stabilizers, cones for roller-cone drill bits, models for forging
dies used to fabricate support arms for roller-cone drill bits,
arms for fixed reamers, arms for expandable reamers, internal
components associated with expandable reamers, sleeves attached to
an uphole end of a rotary drill bit, rotary steering tools,
logging-while-drilling tools, measurement-while-drilling tools,
side-wall coring tools, fishing spears, washover tools, rotors,
stators and/or housings for downhole drilling motors, blades and
housings for downhole turbines, and other downhole tools having
complex configurations and/or asymmetric geometries associated with
forming a wellbore.
[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the fixed-cutter drill bit 100
(hereafter "the drill bit 100") may include or otherwise define a
plurality of cutter blades 102 arranged along the circumference of
a bit head 104. The bit head 104 is connected to a shank 106 to
form a bit body 108. The shank 106 may be connected to the bit head
104 by welding, such as using laser arc welding that results in the
formation of a weld 110 around a weld groove 112. The shank 106 may
further include or otherwise be connected to a threaded pin 114,
such as an American Petroleum Institute (API) drill pipe thread.
122
[0020] In the depicted example, the drill bit 100 includes five
cutter blades 102, in which multiple recesses or pockets 116 are
formed. Cutting elements 118 may be fixedly installed within each
recess 116. This can be done, for example, by brazing each cutting
element 118 into a corresponding recess 116. As the drill bit 100
is rotated in use, the cutting elements 118 engage the rock and
underlying earthen materials, to dig, scrape or grind away the
material of the formation being penetrated.
[0021] During drilling operations, drilling fluid or "mud" can be
pumped downhole through a drill string (not shown) coupled to the
drill bit 100 at the threaded pin 114. The drilling fluid
circulates through and out of the drill bit 100 at one or more
nozzles 120 positioned in nozzle openings 122 defined in the bit
head 104. Junk slots 124 are formed between each adjacent pair of
cutter blades 102. Cuttings, downhole debris, formation fluids,
drilling fluid, etc., may pass through the junk slots 124 and
circulate back to the well surface within an annulus formed between
exterior portions of the drill string and the inner wall of the
wellbore being drilled.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the drill bit 100
of FIG. 1. Similar numerals from FIG. 1 that are used in FIG. 2
refer to similar components that are not described again. As
illustrated, the shank 106 may be securely attached to a metal
blank (or mandrel) 202 at the weld 110 and the metal blank 202
extends into the bit body 108. The shank 106 and the metal blank
202 are generally cylindrical structures that define corresponding
fluid cavities 204a and 204b, respectively, in fluid communication
with each other. The fluid cavity 204b of the metal blank 202 may
further extend longitudinally into the bit body 108. At least one
flow passageway (shown as two flow passageways 206a and 206b) may
extend from the fluid cavity 204b to exterior portions of the bit
body 108. The nozzle openings 122 may be defined at the ends of the
flow passageways 206a and 206b at the exterior portions of the bit
body 108. The pockets 116 are formed in the bit body 108 and are
shaped or otherwise configured to receive the cutting elements 118
(FIG. 1).
[0023] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a mold assembly 300
that may be used to form the drill bit 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2. While
the mold assembly 300 is shown and discussed as being used to help
fabricate the drill bit 100, those skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that mold assembly 300 and its several variations
described herein may be used to help fabricate any of the
infiltrated downhole tools mentioned above, without departing from
the scope of the disclosure. As illustrated, the mold assembly 300
may include several components such as a mold 302, a gauge ring
304, and a funnel 306. In some embodiments, the funnel 306 may be
operatively coupled to the mold 302 via the gauge ring 304, such as
by corresponding threaded engagements, as illustrated. In other
embodiments, the gauge ring 304 may be omitted from the mold
assembly 300 and the funnel 306 may be instead be operatively
coupled directly to the mold 302, such as via a corresponding
threaded engagement, without departing from the scope of the
disclosure.
[0024] In some embodiments, as illustrated, the mold assembly 300
may further include a binder bowl 308 and a cap 310 placed above
the funnel 306. The mold 302, the gauge ring 304, the funnel 306,
the binder bowl 308, and the cap 310 may each be made of or
otherwise comprise graphite or alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), for
example, or other suitable materials. An infiltration chamber 312
may be defined or otherwise provided within the mold assembly 300.
Various techniques may be used to manufacture the mold assembly 300
and its components including, but not limited to, machining
graphite blanks to produce the various components and thereby
define the infiltration chamber 312 to exhibit a negative or
reverse profile of desired exterior features of the drill bit 100
(FIGS. 1 and 2).
[0025] Materials, such as consolidated sand or graphite, may be
positioned within the mold assembly 300 at desired locations to
form various features of the drill bit 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2). For
example, consolidated sand legs 314a and 314b may be positioned to
correspond with desired locations and configurations of the flow
passageways 206a,b (FIG. 2) and their respective nozzle openings
122 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Moreover, a cylindrically-shaped consolidated
sand core 316 may be placed on the legs 314a,b. The number of legs
314a,b extending from the sand core 316 will depend upon the
desired number of flow passageways and corresponding nozzle
openings 122 in the drill bit 100.
[0026] After the desired materials, including the sand core 316 and
the legs 314a,b, have been installed within the mold assembly 300,
matrix reinforcement materials 318 may then be placed within or
otherwise introduced into the mold assembly 300. For some
applications, two or more different types of matrix reinforcement
materials 318 may be deposited in the mold assembly 300. Suitable
matrix reinforcement materials 318 include, but are not limited to,
tungsten carbide, monotungsten carbide (WC), ditungsten carbide
(W.sub.2C), macrocrystalline tungsten carbide, other metal
carbides, metal borides, metal oxides, metal nitrides, natural and
synthetic diamond, and polycrystalline diamond (PCD). Examples of
other metal carbides may include, but are not limited to, titanium
carbide and tantalum carbide, and various mixtures of such
materials may also be used.
[0027] The metal blank 202 may be supported at least partially by
the matrix reinforcement materials 318 within the infiltration
chamber 312. More particularly, after a sufficient volume of the
matrix reinforcement materials 318 has been added to the mold
assembly 300, the metal blank 202 may then be placed within mold
assembly 300 and concentrically-arranged about the sand core 316.
The metal blank 202 may include an inside diameter 320 that is
greater than an outside diameter 322 of the sand core 316, and
various fixtures (not expressly shown) may be used to position the
metal blank 202 within the mold assembly 300 at a desired location.
The matrix reinforcement materials 318 may then be filled to a
desired level within the infiltration chamber 312.
[0028] Binder material 324 may then be placed on top of the matrix
reinforcement materials 318, the metal blank 202, and the sand core
316. Various types of binder materials 324 may be used and include,
but are not limited to, metallic alloys of copper (Cu), nickel
(Ni), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), cobalt (Co) and silver
(Ag). Phosphorous (P) may sometimes also be added in small
quantities to reduce the melting temperature range of infiltration
materials positioned in the mold assembly 300. Various mixtures of
such metallic alloys may also be used as the binder material 324.
In some embodiments, the binder material 324 may be covered with a
flux layer (not expressly shown). The amount of binder material 324
and optional flux material added to the infiltration chamber 312
should be at least enough to infiltrate the matrix reinforcement
materials 318 during the infiltration process. In some instances,
some or all of the binder material 324 may be placed in the binder
bowl 308, which may be used to distribute the binder material 324
into the infiltration chamber 312 via various conduits 326 that
extend therethrough. The cap 310 (if used) may then be placed over
the mold assembly 300, thereby readying the mold assembly 300 for
heating.
[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 4A-4C, with continued reference to
FIG. 3, illustrated are schematic diagrams that sequentially
illustrate an example method of heating and cooling the mold
assembly 300 of FIG. 3. In FIG. 4A, the mold assembly 300 is
depicted as being positioned within a furnace 402. The temperature
of the mold assembly 300 and its contents are elevated within the
furnace 402 until the binder material 324 liquefies and is able to
infiltrate the matrix reinforcement materials 318. Once a specific
location in the mold assembly 300 reaches a certain temperature in
the furnace 402, or the mold assembly 300 is otherwise maintained
at a particular temperature for a predetermined amount of time, the
mold assembly 300 is then removed from the furnace 402 and
immediately begins to lose heat by radiating thermal energy to its
surroundings while heat is also convected away by cooler air
outside the furnace 402. In some cases, as depicted in FIG. 4B, the
mold assembly 300 may be transported to and set down upon a thermal
heat sink 404.
[0030] The radiative and convective heat losses from the mold
assembly 300 to the environment continue until an insulation
enclosure 406 is lowered around the mold assembly 300. The
insulation enclosure 406 may be a rigid shell or structure used to
insulate the mold assembly 300 and thereby slow the cooling
process. In some cases, the insulation enclosure 406 may include a
hook 408 attached to a top surface thereof. The hook 408 may
provide an attachment location, such as for a lifting member,
whereby the insulation enclosure 406 may be grasped and/or
otherwise attached to for transport. For instance, a chain or wire
410 may be coupled to the hook 408 to lift and move the insulation
enclosure 406, as illustrated. In other cases, a mandrel or other
type of manipulator (not shown) may grasp onto the hook 408 to move
the insulation enclosure 406 to a desired location.
[0031] The insulation enclosure 406 may include an outer frame 412,
an inner frame 414, and insulation material 416 arranged between
the outer and inner frames 412, 414. In some embodiments, both the
outer frame 412 and the inner frame 414 may be made of rolled steel
and shaped (i.e., bent, welded, etc.) into the general shape,
design, and/or configuration of the insulation enclosure 406. In
other embodiments, the inner frame 414 may be a metal wire mesh
that holds the insulation material 416 between the outer frame 412
and the inner frame 414. The insulation material 416 may be
selected from a variety of insulative materials, such as those
discussed below. In at least one embodiment, the insulation
material 416 may be a ceramic fiber blanket, such as INSWOOL.RTM.
or the like.
[0032] As depicted in FIG. 4C, the insulation enclosure 406 may
enclose the mold assembly 300 such that thermal energy radiating
from the mold assembly 300 is dramatically reduced from the top and
sides of the mold assembly 300 and is instead directed
substantially downward and otherwise toward/into the thermal heat
sink 404 or back towards the mold assembly 300. In the illustrated
embodiment, the thermal heat sink 404 is a cooling plate designed
to circulate a fluid (e.g., water) at a reduced temperature
relative to the mold assembly 300 (i.e., at or near ambient) to
draw thermal energy from the mold assembly 300 and into the
circulating fluid, and thereby reduce the temperature of the mold
assembly 300. In other embodiments, however, the thermal heat sink
404 may be any type of cooling device or heat exchanger configured
to encourage heat transfer from the bottom 418 of the mold assembly
300 to the thermal heat sink 404. In yet other embodiments, the
thermal heat sink 404 may be any stable or rigid surface that may
support the mold assembly 300, and preferably having a high thermal
capacity, such as a concrete slab or flooring.
[0033] Once the insulation enclosure 406 is positioned over the
mold assembly 300 and the thermal heat sink 404 is operational, the
majority of the thermal energy is transferred away from the mold
assembly 300 through the bottom 418 of the mold assembly 300 and
into the thermal heat sink 404. This controlled cooling of the mold
assembly 300 and its contents allows an operator to regulate or
control the thermal profile of the mold assembly 300 to a certain
extent and may result in directional solidification of the molten
contents within the mold assembly 300, where axial solidification
of the molten contents dominates radial solidification. Within the
mold assembly 300, the face of the drill bit (i.e., the end of the
drill bit that includes the cutters) may be positioned at the
bottom 418 of the mold assembly 300 and otherwise adjacent the
thermal heat sink 404 while the shank 106 (FIG. 1) may be
positioned adjacent the top of the mold assembly 300. As a result,
the drill bit 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2) may be cooled axially upward,
from the cutters 118 (FIG. 1) toward the shank 106 (FIG. 1).
[0034] Such directional solidification (from the bottom up) may
prove advantageous in reducing the occurrence of voids due to
shrinkage porosity, cracks at the interface between the metal blank
202 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and the molten materials within the
infiltration chamber 312 (FIG. 3), and nozzle cracks. However, the
insulating capability of the insulation enclosure 406 may require
augmentation to produce a sufficient amount of directional cooling.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, as an
alternative or in addition to using the insulation enclosure 406,
an integrated heat-exchanging mold system may be used to help
influence the overall thermal profile of the infiltrated downhole
tool (e.g., the drill bit 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2) and facilitate a
sufficient amount of directional cooling. The integrated
heat-exchanging mold systems described herein allow an operator to
selectively and actively heat and/or cool various portions of a
given mold assembly and thereby improve directional solidification
of an infiltrated downhole tool.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 5A-5C, illustrated are partial
cross-sectional side views of various exemplary integrated
heat-exchanging mold systems, according to one or more embodiments.
More particularly, FIG. 5A depicts a first integrated
heat-exchanging mold system (hereafter "system") 500a, FIG. 5B
depicts a second system 500b, and FIG. 5C depicts a third system
500c. The systems 500a-c may be similar in some respect and may
each include a mold assembly 502, which may be similar to the mold
assembly 300 of FIG. 3. As illustrated, for instance, the mold
assembly 502 may include the mold 302, the funnel 306, the binder
bowl 308, and the cap 310. In some embodiments, while not shown in
FIGS. 5A-5C, the gauge ring 304 (FIG. 3) may also be included in
the mold assembly 502. The mold assembly 502 may further include
the metal blank 202, the sand core 316, and one or more
consolidated sand legs 314b (one shown), as generally discussed
above.
[0036] The systems 500a-c may further include a heat-exchanging
enclosure 504 that may be selectively operated to actively
manipulate the thermal profiles of the contents 506 within the
infiltration chamber 312. The heat-exchanging enclosure 504
(hereafter "the enclosure 504") may include a sidewall 508
configured to encompass and otherwise extend about the outer
periphery of the mold assembly 502. The enclosure 504 may exhibit
any suitable horizontal cross-sectional shape that accommodates the
general shape of the mold assembly 502 including, but not limited
to, circular, ovular, polygonal, polygonal with rounded corners, or
any hybrid thereof. In some embodiments, the sidewall 508 may
exhibit different horizontal cross-sectional shapes and/or sizes
along its height and otherwise at different vertical or
longitudinal locations.
[0037] In some embodiments, the sidewall 508 may be disposed about
the mold assembly 502 such that the enclosure 504 is in direct
contact with the sides of the mold assembly 502, such as in contact
with one or more of the mold 302, the funnel 306, and the binder
bowl 308 (if used). In other embodiments, a gap 509 (FIG. 5A) may
separate the sidewall 508 from adjacent portions of the mold
assembly 502. In some embodiments, the gap 509 may be fairly small
or miniscule, such as about a few millimeters or less. In other
embodiments, however, the gap 509 may be greater than a few
millimeters, as discussed below. The gap 509 may prove advantageous
not only in allowing the enclosure 504 to fit around the mold
assembly 502, but also in accommodating any thermal expansion
mismatches between different materials of the sidewall 508 and
adjacent portions of the mold assembly 502. In at least one
embodiment, the gap 509 may be filled with a suitable refractory
and conductive material to promote conductive heat transfer across
that interface.
[0038] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the gap 509 may be large
enough to accommodate a sleeve 511 (FIG. 5A) that may be positioned
in the gap 509 between the mold assembly 502 and the sidewall 508.
The sleeve 511 may prove useful in accommodating mold assemblies of
varying sizes using a minimal number of sidewall 508 sizes. In this
manner, the capital investment in such an enclosure could be
minimized compared to the range of mold assembly 502 sizes, and,
therefore, bit sizes that could be processed. As an example, a
sidewall 508 of internal radius R could accommodate mold assemblies
502 of external radii 0.85R, 0.9R, or 0.95R using sleeves of
internal radii 0.85R+i, 0.9R+i, and 0.95R+i and external radii R-o,
R-o, and R-o, respectively, where i represents a suitable gap
between the mold assembly 502 and the sleeve 511 and o represents a
suitable gap between the sleeve 511 and sidewall 508. The sleeve
511 may be formed of any suitably refractory and conductive
material, such as graphite or alumina. Alternatively, the gap 509
between mold assembly 502 and sidewall 508 can remain empty or be
filled with a fluid or powder to promote conductive heat transfer
versus convective and/or radiative heat transfer.
[0039] Furthermore, sleeve 511 may be constructed of a suitable
conductive or insulative material and in a geometrical form to
further control heat transfer to or from the mold assembly 502.
Examples include two cylinders, one stacked on the other, with
differing thermal properties; a short cylinder that only contacts
the lower portion of mold assembly 502, for example, up to gauge
ring 304; or a cylinder supported on stilts (not axisymmetric) that
provides more contact along the upper portion of mold assembly 502.
The sleeve 511 may exhibit any suitable horizontal cross-sectional
shape that accommodates the general shape of the mold assembly 502
including, but not limited to, circular, ovular, polygonal,
polygonal with rounded corners, or any hybrid thereof. In some
embodiments, the sleeve 511 may exhibit different horizontal
cross-sectional shapes and/or sizes along its height and otherwise
at different vertical or longitudinal locations. In at least one
embodiment, the gap 509 may be filled with both a suitable
refractory and conductive material to promote conductive heat
transfer across that interface and the sleeve 511, without
departing from the scope of the disclosure.
[0040] As illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the enclosure 504 may
further include one or more of a top plate 510a and a bottom plate
510b. The top plate 510a may be positioned above the mold assembly
502, and the bottom plate 510b may be positioned below the mold
assembly 502. In some embodiments, the top plate 510a may rest
directly on the mold assembly 502, such as on the cap 310, the
binder bowl 308, or the funnel 306 (depending on which components
of the mold assembly 502 are used). In other embodiments, the top
plate 510a may engage and otherwise rest atop the sidewall(s) 508.
The mold assembly 502 and, more particularly, the mold 302, may
rest on the bottom plate 510b.
[0041] The sidewall(s) 508, the top plate 510a (if used), and the
bottom plate 510b (if used) are collectively referred to herein as
the "component parts" of the enclosure 504. Each component part of
the enclosure 504 may be made of a suitable material including, but
not limited to, graphite, alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), a metal, a
ceramic, and any combination thereof.
[0042] A plurality of thermal conduits 512 may be positioned within
one or more of the component parts of the enclosure 504. As used
herein, the term "positioned within" can refer to physically
embedding the thermal conduits 512 within one or more of the
component parts of the enclosure 504, but may also refer to the
thermal conduits 512 forming an integral part of one or more of the
component parts, such as by defining conduits directly in the
material of the given component parts (i.e., via machining and/or
assembling processes). In yet other embodiments, as discussed
below, the thermal conduits 512 may be positioned within a given
component part of the enclosure 504 by being arranged within a
fluid flow passage or cavity 610 (FIG. 6) defined within the given
component part of the enclosure 504.
[0043] The thermal conduits 512 may be configured to circulate a
fluid 514 through portions of the enclosure 504 and thereby place
the fluid 514 in thermal communication with the contents 506 of the
infiltration chamber 312. As used herein, the term "thermal
communication" may mean that thermal energy can be exchanged
between the fluid 514 and the infiltration chamber 312 (or its
contents 506). In some embodiments, for instance, thermal energy
may be imparted and/or transferred to the infiltration chamber 312
(or the contents 506 thereof) from the fluid 514. In other
embodiments, however, the fluid 514 may be configured to extract
thermal energy from the infiltration chamber 312 (or its contents
506). Accordingly, circulating the fluid 514 through the thermal
conduits 512 may allow an operator to selectively manipulate the
thermal profile of the contents 506 within the infiltration chamber
312.
[0044] In at least one embodiment, the contents 506 within the
infiltration chamber 312 may comprise the individual or separated
portions of the matrix reinforcement materials 318 (FIG. 3) and the
binder material 324 (FIG. 3). In such embodiments, the fluid 514
may actively and/or selectively provide thermal energy to the
matrix reinforcement materials 318 and the binder material 324 to
help facilitate the infiltration process. In such embodiments, the
furnace 402 of FIG. 4A may be omitted or otherwise supported
through operation of the enclosure 504. In other embodiments,
however, the contents 506 within the infiltration chamber 312 may
be a molten mass following the infiltration process, and the fluid
514 may be configured to extract thermal energy from the molten
mass and thereby help directional solidification as it cools.
[0045] The fluid 514 may be any fluidic substance that exhibits
suitable properties, such as high thermal conductivity, high
thermal diffusivity, high density, low viscosity (kinematic or
dynamic), high specific heat, and high boiling point and low vapor
pressure for liquids, to enable the fluid 514 to exchange thermal
energy with the contents 506 within the infiltration chamber 312.
Suitable fluids 514 that may be used include, but are not limited
to, a gas (e.g., air, carbon dioxide, argon helium, oxygen,
nitrogen), water, steam, an oil, a coolant (e.g., glycols), a
molten metal, a molten metal alloy, a fluidized bed, or a molten
salt. Suitable molten salts include alkali fluoride salts (e.g.,
LiF--KF, LiF--NaF--KF, LiF--RbF, LiF--NaF--RbF), BeF.sub.2 salts
(e.g., LiF--BeF.sub.2, NaF--BeF.sub.2, LiF--NaF--BeF.sub.2),
ZrF.sub.4 salts (e.g., KF--ZrF.sub.4, NaF--ZrF.sub.4,
NaF--KF--ZrF.sub.4, LiF--ZrF.sub.4, LiF--NaF--ZrF.sub.4,
RbF--ZrF.sub.4), chloride-based salts (e.g., LiCl--KCl, LiCl--RbCl,
KCl--MgCl.sub.2, NaCl--MgCl.sub.2, LiCl--KCl--MgCl.sub.2,
KCl--NaCl--MgCl.sub.2), fluoroborate-based salts (e.g.,
NaF--NaBF.sub.4, KF--KBF.sub.4, RbF--RbBF.sub.4), or nitrate-based
salts (e.g., NaNO.sub.3--KNO.sub.3,
Ca(NO.sub.3).sub.2--NaNO.sub.3--KNO.sub.3,
LiNO.sub.3--NaNO.sub.3--KNO.sub.3), and any alloys thereof.
Suitable molten metals or metal alloys for the fluid 514 may
include Pb, Bi, Pb--Bi, K, Na, Na--K, Ga, In, Sn, Li, Zn, or any
alloys thereof.
[0046] The thermal conduits 512 may each be fluidly coupled and
otherwise connected to a heat exchanger 516 configured to thermally
condition the fluid 514. As used herein, the term "thermally
condition" refers to heating or cooling the fluid 514. Whether the
heat exchanger 516 thermally conditions the fluid 514 by heating or
cooling the fluid 514 will depend on the application. The heat
exchanger 516 may include a pump 518 operable to circulate the
fluid 514 through the thermal conduits 512 and back to the heat
exchanger 516 for continuous thermal conditioning of the fluid 514.
The heat exchanger 516 may comprise any type of heat exchanging
apparatus that is capable of maintaining the fluid 514 at a
predetermined or preselected temperature for circulation through
the thermal conduits 512. Suitable heat exchangers 516 may comprise
or otherwise include, but are not limited to, a heating element, a
radiant heater, an electric heater, an infrared heater, an
induction heater, one or more induction coils, a heating band, one
or more heated coils, or any combination thereof. Suitable
configurations for a heating element may include, but are not be
limited to, coils, tubes, bundled tubes, concentric tubes, plates,
corrugated plates, strips, shells, baffles, channels,
micro-channels, finned coils, finned plates, finned strips,
louvered fins, wavy fins, pin fins, and the like, or any
combination thereof.
[0047] The thermal conduits 512 positioned within any of the
component parts of the enclosure 504 may exhibit various
cross-sectional shapes. While depicted in FIGS. 5A-5C as exhibiting
a generally square cross-sectional shape, the conduits 512 may
alternatively exhibit a circular cross-sectional shape or any other
cross-sectional shape capable of facilitating the circulation of
the fluid 514, without departing from the scope of the
disclosure.
[0048] Moreover, the thermal conduits 512 positioned within any of
the component parts of the enclosure 504 may exhibit various
designs and/or configurations. In some embodiments, for instance,
the thermal conduits 512 positioned in the top or the bottom plates
510a,b may comprise a single thermal conduit 512 forming part of
the same fluid circuit and may form a spiraling or coiled conduit
or fluid passageway when viewed from a top perspective. Likewise,
the thermal conduits 512 positioned in the sidewall 508 may
comprise a single thermal conduit 512 that forms part of the same
fluid circuit and may complete several helical revolutions about
the mold assembly 502 from top to bottom. In such embodiments, the
single thermal conduit 512 of the top or bottom plates 510a,b or
the sidewall 508 may be controlled via a single fluidic lead
connected to the heat exchanger 516 and routed back to the thermal
conduit 512 via the pump 518. In at least some embodiments, single
thermal conduits 512 positioned within the sidewall 508 and one or
both of the top and bottom plates 510a,b may be in fluid
communication with each other and a common heat exchanger 516 and
pump 518.
[0049] In other embodiments, however, the thermal conduits 512 in
one or more of the component parts of the enclosure 504 may
comprise two or more sets of thermal conduits 512 associated with a
corresponding two or more fluid circuits that are controlled
independent of one another. In such embodiments, the systems 500a-c
may include two or more heat exchangers 516 and associated pumps
518 to accommodate circulation of the fluid 514 through the
independent fluid circuits. In yet other embodiments, the thermal
conduits 512 in one or more of the component parts of the enclosure
504 may comprise individual and discrete thermal conduits 512 that
are each fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger 516 or a plurality
of different heat exchangers 516 and associated pumps 518. In such
embodiments, each thermal conduit 512 would require connection to a
corresponding discrete fluid circuit to circulate the fluid 514
through each thermal conduit 512. By fluidly coupling selected
thermal conduits 512 to different heat exchangers 516, an operator
may be able to selectively and actively vary the thermal profile
within the infiltration chamber 312 and thereby produce a desired
heat gradient within the mold assembly 502. Alternatively, actuated
baffle-like members may be incorporated in each thermal conduit 512
to restrict or expand flow within each conduit to thereby modulate
imposed heat gradients using a minimum number of heat exchangers
516 and/or pumps 518.
[0050] As will be appreciated, being able to selectively and
actively adjust and otherwise optimize the level of directional
heat imparted by the fluid 514 may prove advantageous in being able
to vary the thermal profile within the infiltration chamber 312. In
at least one embodiment, certain thermal conduits 512 or sets of
thermal conduits 512 may be designed to operate simultaneously with
or independent of other thermal conduits 512. For instance, the
thermal conduits 512 near the top of the sidewall 508 and the
thermal conduits 512 in the top plate 510a may be heated at a later
point during an infiltration process, such as once the thermal
conduits 512 in the bottom plate 510b and the thermal conduits 512
near the bottom of the sidewall 508 have had sufficient time to
heat the matrix reinforcement materials 318 (FIG. 3) to a suitably
high temperature. To help promote directional heating, certain
thermal conduits 512 at the middle of the sidewall 508 may be
"turned off" (e.g., circulation is stopped) at this time or may
circulate a cooling fluid 514 until, for example, the thermal
conduits 512 near the top of the sidewall 508 and the thermal
conduits 512 in the top plate 510a are activated. As a result, a
desired thermal gradient may be generated and optimized along an
axial height A (FIG. 5A) of the mold assembly 502 to help
facilitate directional heating of the mold assembly 502 and its
contents, including the metal blank 202 and reinforcement materials
318, and melting of the binder material 324 (FIG. 3).
Alternatively, this process may be reversed to promote directional
cooling of the mold assembly 502 and its contents, including the
molten contents 506 within the infiltration chamber 312, along the
axial height A.
[0051] Moreover, it will be appreciated that the configuration
(e.g., number, placement, spacing, size, etc.) of the thermal
conduits 512 in the sidewall 508 (or any of the other component
parts) may be optimized and/or selectively operated to further
enhance the thermal gradient along the axial height A. Furthermore,
certain thermal conduits 512 or sets of thermal conduits 512 may be
designed with the ability to switch between a heating fluid 514 and
a cooling fluid 514 to achieve a desired thermal profile throughout
the heating and cooling cycles.
[0052] As illustrated, the systems 500a-c may further include an
outer insulation assembly 520 configured to encompass and otherwise
extend about the enclosure 504. The outer insulation assembly 520
(hereafter "the insulation assembly 520") may be similar in some
respects to the insulation enclosure 406 of FIGS. 4B and 4C. The
insulation assembly 520 may include a sidewall insulator 522 and,
as depicted in FIGS. 5B and 5C, may optionally include one or more
of a top insulator 524a and a bottom insulator 524b. The sidewall,
top, and bottom insulators 522, 524a,b may each be configured to
insulate the mold assembly 502 and the enclosure 504. The sidewall,
top, and bottom insulators 522, 524a,b may each comprise a rigid
frame or structure that includes insulation material 526 either
supported by the rigid structure or otherwise arranged between
inner and outer frames of the rigid structure. The rigid structure
may be made of rolled steel and shaped (i.e., bent, welded, etc.)
into the general shape, design, and/or configuration of the
enclosure 504. In other embodiments, the rigid structure may
comprise a metal wire mesh that holds the insulation material 526
in place.
[0053] The insulation material 526 may be selected from a variety
of insulative materials including, but not limited to, ceramics
(e.g., oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides, and silicides that may
be crystalline, non-crystalline, or semi-crystalline), polymers,
insulating metal composites, carbons, nanocomposites, foams, fluids
(e.g., air), any composite thereof, or any combination thereof. The
insulation material 526 may further include, but is not limited to,
materials in the form of beads, particulates, flakes, fibers,
wools, woven fabrics, bulked fabrics, sheets, bricks, stones,
blocks, cast shapes, molded shapes, foams, sprayed insulation, and
the like, any hybrid thereof, or any combination thereof.
Accordingly, examples of suitable materials that may be used as the
insulation material 526 may include, but are not limited to,
alumina, ceramics, ceramic fibers, ceramic fabrics, ceramic wools,
ceramic beads, ceramic blocks, moldable ceramics, woven ceramics,
cast ceramics, fire bricks, carbon fibers, graphite blocks, shaped
graphite blocks, polymer beads, polymer fibers, polymer fabrics,
nanocomposites, fluids in a jacket, metal fabrics, metal foams,
metal wools, metal castings, and the like, any composite thereof,
or any combination thereof.
[0054] Referring specifically to FIG. 5C, the sidewall insulator
522 and the top insulator 524a may be coupled and otherwise
combined into a monolithic structure in one or more embodiments. In
such embodiments, the sidewall and top insulators 522, 524a may be
raised by an operator in the direction B at a controlled rate or
over two or more predefined intervals (i.e., longitudinal distances
and/or time lapses). As will be appreciated, this may prove
advantageous in gradually exposing portions of the mold assembly
502 and the enclosure 504 and thereby resulting in a given cooling
rate of the mold assembly 502 as heat is progressively lost out of
the sides of the mold assembly 502 and the enclosure 504. Moreover,
in some embodiments, the bottom insulator 524b may be configured to
move laterally C with respect to the mold assembly 502, and thereby
allow increased heat loss through the bottom of the mold assembly
502 when moved out from beneath. Similar to the sidewall and top
insulators 522, 524a, the bottom insulator 524b may be moved
laterally C by an operator at a controlled rate or over two or more
predefined intervals (i.e., longitudinal distances and/or time
lapses).
[0055] Referring again to each of FIGS. 5A-5C, a thermal barrier
(not shown) may be applied to an inner or outer surface of the
enclosure 504 and/or to an inner surface of the insulation assembly
520. The thermal barrier may provide resistance to radiation or
conduction heat transfer between the mold assembly 502 and the
exterior of the systems 500a-c, depending on the separation
distance between the enclosure 504 and the insulation assembly 520.
Suitable materials that may be used as the thermal barrier include,
but are not limited to, a ceramic-fiber blanket, aluminum oxide,
aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, quartz,
titanium carbide, titanium nitride, borides, carbides, nitrides,
and oxides. The thermal barrier may further include, but is not
limited to, materials in the form of woven fabrics, bulked fabrics,
sheets, bricks, stones, blocks, cast shapes, molded shapes, foams,
sprayed insulation, and the like, any hybrid thereof, or any
combination thereof. The thermal barrier may be applied via a
variety of processes or techniques including, but not limited to,
electron beam physical vapor deposition, air plasma spray, high
velocity oxygen fuel, electrostatic spray assisted vapor
deposition, and direct vapor deposition. Conversely, a highly
conductive material, such as a diamond coating, a metallic sheet,
or the like, may be applied to an inner surface of the enclosure
504, an outer surface of the mold assembly 502, and/or in the gap
509 (FIG. 5A) defined between the mold assembly 502 and the
enclosure 504. In at least one embodiment, a gas may be used to
fill the gap 509 or a gap 612 (FIG. 6) between the enclosure 504
and the insulation assembly 520.
[0056] In some embodiments, a reflective coating (not shown) may be
applied to an inner and/or outer surface of the enclosure 504 or an
inner surface of the insulation assembly 520. The reflective
coating may be adhered to and/or sprayed onto a surface of the
enclosure 504 or insulation assembly 520 to reflect an amount of
thermal energy being transferred from the molten contents within
the mold assembly 502 back toward the molten contents. Suitable
materials for the reflective coating include a metal coating
selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, copper,
carbon steel, maraging steel, stainless steel, microalloyed steel,
low alloy steel, molybdenum, nickel, platinum, silver, gold,
tantalum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, cobalt, rhenium, osmium,
palladium, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, manganese, niobium,
vanadium, zirconium, hafnium, any derivative thereof, or any alloy
based on these metals. A metal reflective coating may be applied
via a suitable method, such as plating, spray deposition, chemical
vapor deposition, plasma vapor deposition, etc. Alternatively, the
coating material may be formed on a removable or thin substrate or
as a thin member coupled to a given surface of the enclosure 504 or
insulation assembly 520. Another suitable material for the
reflective coating may be a paint (e.g., white for high
reflectivity, black for high absorptivity). In other embodiments,
or in addition thereto, one or more of the surfaces of the
enclosure 504 or insulation assembly 520 may be polished so as to
increase its emissivity.
[0057] In some embodiments, the sidewall(s) 508 may be segmented
and otherwise divided into multiple segments or rings that contain
subsets of the total number of thermal conduits 512 used in the
sidewall(s) 508. For example, the individual segments of the
sidewall(s) 508 may contain 1 to n-1 thermal conduits 512, where n
is the total number of thermal conduits 512 in the sidewall(s) 508.
This may allow for an interchangeable design so that a range of
drill bit (and mold assembly) sizes can be accommodated with
minimal material and setup costs. In FIGS. 5B and 5C, as an
example, there are 10 thermal conduits 512 positioned within the
sidewall(s) 508. In some embodiments, the sidewall(s) 508 may be
segmented and otherwise fabricated into multiple sidewall rings,
where one sidewall ring contains six thermal conduits 512, a second
sidewall ring contains two thermal conduits 512, and a third
sidewall ring also contains two thermal conduits 512.
Alternatively, the first sidewall ring may contain seven thermal
conduits 512, the second sidewall ring may contain two thermal
conduits 512, and the third sidewall ring may contain one thermal
conduit 512. In another embodiment, the first sidewall ring may
contain five thermal conduits 512, the second sidewall ring may
contain three thermal conduits 512, and the third sidewall ring may
contain two thermal conduits 512. As will be appreciated, several
other configurable designs and segmentations may be employed,
without departing from the scope of the disclosure. With such a
configurable design, multiple sidewall 508 heights and, therefore,
mold assembly 502 heights A (FIG. 5A), may be possible.
[0058] Referring now to FIG. 6, with continued reference to FIGS.
5A-5C, illustrated is a partial cross-sectional side view of
another exemplary integrated heat-exchanging mold system 600,
according to one or more embodiments. The integrated
heat-exchanging mold system 600 (hereafter "the system 600") may be
similar in some respects to the systems 500a-c of FIGS. 5A-5C,
respectively, and therefore may be best understood with reference
thereto, where like numerals represent like components not
described again in detail. As illustrated, the system 600 may
include the mold assembly 502, which may include the mold 302, the
funnel 306, the binder bowl 308, the cap 310, the metal blank 202,
the sand core 316, one or more consolidated sand legs 314b (one
shown), and optionally the gauge ring 304 (FIG. 3). The system 600
may further include a heat-exchanging enclosure 602 and the
insulation assembly 520 arranged about the heat-exchanging
enclosure 602.
[0059] The heat-exchanging enclosure 602 (hereafter "the enclosure
602") may be similar in some respects to the enclosure 504 of FIGS.
5A-5C and therefore may be selectively operated to actively
manipulate the thermal profile of the contents 506 within the
infiltration chamber 312. For instance, the enclosure 602 may
include a sidewall 604, and may optionally include one or both of a
top plate 606a and a bottom plate 606b. Similar to the enclosure
504, the enclosure 602 may exhibit any suitable horizontal
cross-sectional shape that accommodates the general shape of the
mold assembly 502 including, but not limited to, circular, ovular,
polygonal, polygonal with rounded corners, or any hybrid thereof.
In some embodiments, the sidewall 604 may exhibit different
horizontal cross-sectional shapes and/or sizes along its height and
otherwise at different vertical or longitudinal locations.
[0060] Unlike the enclosure 504 of FIGS. 5A-5C, however, the
sidewall 604 and the top and bottom plates 606a,b may each comprise
a plurality of heat-exchanging modules 608. The heat-exchanging
modules 608 (hereafter "the modules 608") may form annular rings
configured to encompass and otherwise extend about the outer
periphery and general exterior of the mold assembly 502.
[0061] The sidewall 604 may include multiple modules 608 stacked
atop one another along the sides of the mold assembly 502. The top
and bottom plates 606a,b may comprise a plurality of modules 608
concentrically-arranged with one another and positioned above
and/or below the mold assembly 502, respectively. In some
embodiments, axially and/or radially adjacent modules 608 may be
separate components or elements that are stacked atop one another,
as in the sidewall 604, or concentrically-arranged side by side, as
in the top and bottom plates 606a,b. In other embodiments, axially
and/or radially adjacent modules 608 may be coupled to provide one
or more arrays of modules 608. For instance, in at least one
embodiment, some or all of the axially and/or radially adjacent
modules 608 may be threaded to each other. In other embodiments,
axially and/or radially adjacent modules 608 may be mechanically
fastened to each other using one or more mechanical fasteners
(e.g., screws, bolts, snap fits, dovetail fittings, shrink
fittings, etc.).
[0062] Each module 608 may have at least one thermal conduit 512
positioned therein. Positioning the thermal conduits 512 within the
modules 608 can refer to physically embedding the thermal conduits
512 within the module 608, but may also refer to the thermal
conduits 512 forming an integral part of the module 608, such as by
defining or forming conduits directly in the material of the module
608. In yet other embodiments, the thermal conduits 512 may be
positioned within a given module 608 by being arranged within a
cavity 610 defined within the given module 608. The thermal
conduits 512 may be configured to circulate the fluid 514 through
portions of the enclosure 602 and thereby place the fluid 514 in
thermal communication with the contents 506 of the infiltration
chamber 312. Circulating the fluid 514 through the thermal conduits
512 may allow an operator to selectively manipulate the thermal
profile of the contents 506 within the infiltration chamber
312.
[0063] While not shown, each thermal conduit 512 in the enclosure
602 may be fluidly coupled and otherwise connected to a heat
exchanger (e.g., the heat exchanger 516 of FIGS. 5A-5C) and an
associated pump (e.g., the pump 518 of FIGS. 5A-5C). The heat
exchanger(s) may be configured to thermally condition the fluid 514
(i.e., heat or cool) depending on the application. In some
embodiments, each thermal conduit 512 may be fluidly coupled to an
independent heat exchanger such that each thermal conduit 512 may
circulate the fluid 514 at a unique or predetermined temperature.
In other embodiments, two or more thermal conduits 512 may form a
set or grouping and may be in fluid communication with each other
and in fluid communication with a common heat exchanger such that
the thermal conduits 512 in the set circulate the fluid 514 at the
same temperature. In yet other embodiments, all of the thermal
conduits 512 may be fluidly coupled to the same heat exchanger such
that each thermal conduit 512 circulates the fluid 514 at the same
temperature.
[0064] In some embodiments, the bottom plate 606b may be movable
laterally C to provide space for a thermal heat sink 404 to move
laterally C into place at a pre-determined time to initiate the
cooling process. In other embodiments, the bottom plate 606b may
alternatively remain in place and a fluid 514 at a lower
temperature or comprising a coolant may instead be circulated
through the thermal conduits 512 to initiate the cooling process.
In some embodiments, the bottom insulator 524b may also be movable
laterally C. The bottom insulator 524b may be inserted after
loading the mold assembly 502 into the enclosure 602 to prevent
direct contact of the heating modules 608 of the sidewall(s) 604
with the thermal heat sink 404 and to otherwise hold the mold
assembly 502 in place as the bottom plate 606b is moved laterally C
to make room for the thermal heat sink 404.
[0065] In some embodiments, the insulation assembly 520 may be
disposed about the enclosure 504 such that one or both of the
sidewall(s) 604 and the top plate 606a (if used) is in direct
contact with the enclosure 504. In other embodiments, a small gap
612 may separate the insulation assembly 520 from adjacent portions
of the enclosure 504. In some embodiments, the gap 612 may be
fairly small or miniscule, such as on the order of a few
millimeters or less. In other embodiments, however, the gap 612 may
be greater than a few millimeters, without departing from the scope
of the disclosure. The gap 612 may prove advantageous not only in
allowing the insulation assembly 520 to fit around the enclosure
504, but also in accommodating heat transfer between the two
components via radiation (and possibly convection) rather than
conduction. As will be appreciated, the size of the gap 612 may
vary depending on the application.
[0066] Furthermore, a thermal barrier (not shown) may be applied to
an outer surface of the enclosure 602 and/or to an inner surface of
the insulation assembly 520. The thermal barrier may provide
resistance to radiation or conduction heat transfer between the
mold assembly 502 and the exterior of the system 600, depending on
the size of gap 612 and the thermal barrier. For example, a large
initial gap may be partially filled with the thermal barrier to
produce the resulting gap 612. Alternatively, gap 612 may be
completely filled with thermal barrier material. Suitable materials
that may be used as the thermal barrier include, but are not
limited to, a ceramic-fiber blanket, aluminum oxide, aluminum
nitride, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, quartz, titanium
carbide, titanium nitride, borides, carbides, nitrides, and oxides.
The material barrier may further include, but is not limited to,
materials in the form of woven fabrics, bulked fabrics, sheets,
bricks, stones, blocks, cast shapes, molded shapes, foams, sprayed
insulation, and the like, any hybrid thereof, or any combination
thereof. The thermal barrier may be applied via a variety of
processes or techniques including, but not limited to, electron
beam physical vapor deposition, air plasma spray, high velocity
oxygen fuel, electrostatic spray assisted vapor deposition, and
direct vapor deposition. In at least one embodiment, a gas may be
used to fill the gap 612.
[0067] Referring now to FIGS. 7A-7F, illustrated are
cross-sectional views of various exemplary modules 608, according
to one or more embodiments. Similar to the component parts of the
enclosure 504 of FIGS. 5A-5C, the modules 608 of the enclosure 604
of FIG. 6 may be made of suitable materials including, but not
limited to, graphite, alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), a metal, a
ceramic, and any combination thereof.
[0068] In FIG. 7A, the module 608 is the same as generally depicted
in FIG. 6 and may include a thermal conduit 512 positioned therein.
More particularly, the thermal conduit 512 may be arranged within
the cavity 610 defined within the module 608. The cross-sectional
shape of the cavity 610 in FIG. 7A is square, but may alternatively
exhibit any other cross-sectional shape. For instance, in FIG. 7B,
the cavity 610 is depicted as being generally circular to
accommodate the thermal conduit 512 and with a much smaller gap
between the thermal conduit 512 and the wall of the cavity 610. In
FIG. 7C, the cavity 610 is omitted and the thermal conduit 512 is
instead embedded directly within the module 608 or the thermal
conduit 512 is defined in the material of the module 608 and
thereby forms an integral part thereof. As will be appreciated, the
cavity 610 may prove advantageous in accommodating thermal
expansion mismatches between the thermal conduit 512 and the
material of the module 608, which could otherwise compromise the
integrity of the module 608. Additionally, the space inside the
cavity 610 not occupied by the thermal conduit 512 can be filled
with a suitable material to enhance or control the rate of heat
transfer between the thermal conduit 512 and module 608. This
material can be a solid or a fluid. If a fluid is used, it can be
stationary or coupled to a pump 518 (FIGS. 5A-5C) and/or heat
exchanger 516 (FIGS. 5A-5C), similar to a fluid 514 in a thermal
conduit 512.
[0069] In FIGS. 7D-7F, the modules 608 are comprised of at least
two different materials. For example, a first portion 702a of the
module 608 may be made of a first material, such as graphite, and a
second portion 702b of the module may be made of a second material,
such as alumina. The first portion 702a may be arranged adjacent
the mold assembly 502 (FIGS. 5A-5C and 6) and the second portion
702b may be arranged distal to the mold assembly 502. As will be
appreciated, such embodiments may prove useful since the graphite
material of the first portion 702a is more conductive than the
alumina material of the second portion 702b, which may instead act
as an insulating material, and thereby better facilitate a desired
thermal profile. Moreover, such designs could facilitate
construction and repair of the modules 608 where one of the
portions 702a,b or the thermal conduit 512 is replaced and/or
refurbished while the other of the portions 702a,b remains
unchanged.
[0070] It should be noted that while the modules 608 are shown as
having a generally square cross-section, one or more of the modules
608 may alternatively exhibit other cross-sectional shapes, such as
circular or any other polygonal shape. In some embodiments, for
example, an array of thermal conduits 512 may be arranged in a
sheet-like configuration and placed between rectangles of a
conduction material (on the inner side) and an insulating material
(on the outer side), without departing from the scope of the
disclosure.
[0071] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, illustrated are
cross-sectional views of various additional exemplary modules 608,
according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, a single
module 608 may have multiple thermal conduits 512 positioned
therein and, more particularly, within the cavity 610. In FIGS.
8A-8B, there are six thermal conduits 512 depicted as being
positioned within the cavity 610, but could alternatively
accommodate more or less than six thermal conduits 512. Such
modules 608 may prove useful in providing thermal energy to the
sides of the mold assembly 502 (FIGS. 5A-5C and 6) and thereby
being able to selectively vary the thermal profile along the height
A (FIG. 5A) of the mold assembly 502. Moreover, as depicted in FIG.
8B, such a design may employ the first portion 702a made of the
first material and the second portion 702b made of the second
material.
[0072] In any of the integrated heat-exchanging mold systems
500a-c, 600 described herein, the furnace 402 (FIG. 4A) and/or the
insulation enclosure 406 (FIGS. 4B and 4C) may be omitted if
desired. Instead, the systems 500a-c, 600 as described herein may
be configured to undertake both the heating (i.e., infiltration)
and cooling cycles for the infiltrated downhole tool being
fabricated within the mold assembly 502. In exemplary operation,
the thermal conduits 512 disposed at or near the bottom of the mold
assembly 502 may be activated first and otherwise circulate a
high-temperature fluid 514. The high-temperature fluid 514 may
begin to heat the matrix reinforcement materials 318 (FIG. 3) in
the bottom of the mold assembly 502 before the binder material 324
(FIG. 3). At a particular time or a predetermined temperature, the
thermal conduits 512 adjacent the binder material 324 may be
activated to allow the binder material 324 to melt and infiltrate
the matrix reinforcement materials 318.
[0073] Upon reaching a suitable temperature at a given location in
the mold assembly 502, the bottom plate 606b and its associated
thermal conduits 512 may be moved laterally C (FIGS. 5C and 6) to
accommodate the thermal heat sink 404 (FIGS. 4B-4C and 6) directly
under the mold assembly 502. At this point, the temperature of the
fluid 514 in the thermal conduits 512 arranged along the sides of
the mold assembly 502 may be gradually decreased sequentially,
starting at the bottom and working toward the top. As a result, a
controlled directional cooling of the mold assembly 502 and its
molten contents 506 (FIGS. 5A-5C and 6) may be achieved.
[0074] In any of the integrated heat-exchanging mold systems
500a-c, 600 described herein, the thermal conduits 512 may
alternatively be comprised of a thermal heating element in thermal
communication with the infiltration chamber 312. The thermal
heating element may be any device or mechanism configured to impart
thermal energy to the contents 506 within the infiltration chamber
312. For example, the thermal heating element may include, but is
not limited to, a heating element, a radiant heater, an electric
heater, an infrared heater, an induction heater, one or more
induction coils, a heating band, one or more heated coils,
resistive heating elements, a refractory and conductive metal coil,
strip, or bar, or any combination thereof. Upon being activated, a
flow of electrical current, magnetic current, electrons, or the
like may conduct through the thermal heating element to produce
heat that may be transferred to the mold assembly 502.
[0075] In such embodiments, the thermal conduits 512 in any of the
integrated heat-exchanging mold systems 500a-c, 600 may comprise a
single thermal heating element array and thereby form a spiraling
or coiled single thermal heating element when viewed from a top
view. In such embodiments, the thermal heating element may be
controlled via a single lead (not shown) connected to a power
source that controls the thermal heating element. In other
embodiments, however, the thermal heating elements may comprise a
collection of thermal heating elements that may be controlled
together, or two or more sets of thermal heating elements that may
be controlled independent of each other. In yet other embodiments,
the thermal heating elements may comprise individual and discrete
thermal heating elements that are each powered independent of the
others. In such embodiments, each thermal heating element would
require connection to a corresponding discrete lead to control and
power the corresponding thermal heating elements. As will be
appreciated, such embodiments may prove advantageous in allowing an
operator to vary an intensity or heat output of each thermal
heating element independently, and thereby produce a desired heat
gradient within the mold 302.
[0076] Embodiments disclosed herein include:
[0077] A. An integrated heat-exchanging mold system for fabricating
an infiltrated downhole tool, the mold system including a mold
assembly that defines an infiltration chamber to receive and
contain matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material used
to form the infiltrated downhole tool, a heat-exchanging enclosure
disposed about at least a portion of an exterior of the mold
assembly, the heat-exchanging enclosure comprising one or more
component parts that include at least one sidewall extending along
a height of the mold assembly, and one or more thermal conduits
positioned within the one or more component parts, including the at
least one sidewall, and thereby placed in thermal communication
with the infiltration chamber.
[0078] B. A method for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool,
the method including arranging a heat-exchanging enclosure about at
least a portion of an exterior of a mold assembly that defines an
infiltration chamber, the heat-exchanging enclosure comprising one
or more component parts that include at least one sidewall
extending along a height of the mold assembly, placing one or more
thermal conduits in thermal communication with the infiltration
chamber, the one or more thermal conduits being positioned within
the one or more component parts including the at least one
sidewall, and actively manipulating a thermal profile of contents
within the infiltration chamber with the one or more thermal
conduits.
[0079] C. A method that includes introducing a drill bit into a
wellbore, the drill bit being formed in an integrated
heat-exchanging mold system that includes a mold assembly defining
an infiltration chamber, and a heat-exchanging enclosure having one
or more component parts that include at least one sidewall, wherein
forming the drill bit comprises arranging the heat-exchanging
enclosure about at least a portion of an exterior of the mold
assembly, the at least one sidewall extending along a height of the
mold assembly, placing one or more thermal conduits in thermal
communication with the infiltration chamber, the one or more
thermal conduits being positioned within the one or more component
parts including the at least one sidewall and actively manipulating
a thermal profile of contents within the infiltration chamber with
the one or more thermal conduits and drilling a portion of the
wellbore with the drill bit.
[0080] Each of embodiments A, B, and C may have one or more of the
following additional elements in any combination: Element 1:
wherein the infiltrated downhole tool is selected from the group
consisting of a drill bit, a cutting tool, a non-retrievable
drilling component, a drill bit body associated with casing
drilling of wellbores, a drill-string stabilizer, a cone for a
roller-cone drill bit, a model for forging dies used to fabricate
support arms for roller-cone drill bits, an arm for a fixed reamer,
an arm for an expandable reamer, an internal component associated
with expandable reamers, a rotary steering tool, a
logging-while-drilling tool, a measurement-while-drilling tool, a
side-wall coring tool, a fishing spear, a washover tool, a rotor, a
stator, a blade for a downhole turbine, a housing for a downhole
turbine, and any combination thereof. Element 2: wherein the one or
more component parts further include at least one of a top plate
positioned above the mold assembly and a bottom plate positioned
below the mold assembly, and wherein the one or more thermal
conduits are further positioned within at least one of the top
plate and the bottom plate. Element 3: wherein the one or more
thermal conduits circulate a fluid through the one or more
component parts, the fluid being selected from the group consisting
of a gas, water, steam, an oil, a coolant, a molten metal, a molten
metal alloy, a fluidized bed, or a molten salt. Element 4: further
comprising a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the one or more
thermal conduits for thermally conditioning the fluid, and a pump
fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger and the one or more thermal
conduits to circulate the fluid through the one or more component
parts. Element 5: wherein the one or more thermal conduits comprise
a single thermal conduit that forms a spiral or helical array.
Element 6: wherein the one or more thermal conduits comprise at
least a first set of thermal conduits and a second set of thermal
conduits, and wherein the first set of thermal conduits is
independently operable from the second set of thermal conduits.
Element 7: wherein the one or more thermal conduits comprise a
plurality of individual thermal conduits, and wherein each
individual thermal conduit is independently operable. Element 8:
further comprising an outer insulation assembly disposed about at
least a portion of an exterior of the heat-exchanging enclosure and
including at least a sidewall insulator. Element 9: wherein the
outer insulation assembly further includes at least one of a top
insulator positioned above the mold assembly and a bottom insulator
positioned below the mold assembly. Element 10: wherein the
heat-exchanging enclosure comprises a plurality of heat-exchanging
modules and at least one of the one or more thermal conduits is
positioned within each heat-exchanging module. Element 11: wherein
the at least one of the one or more thermal conduits is positioned
within a cavity defined in one or more of the plurality of
heat-exchanging modules. Element 12: wherein each heat-exchanging
module is made of at least one material selected from the group
consisting of graphite, alumina, a metal, a ceramic, and any
combination thereof. Element 13: wherein the one or more thermal
conduits comprise one or more thermal heating elements selected
from the group consisting of a heating element, a radiant heater,
an electric heater, an infrared heater, an induction heater, one or
more induction coils, a heating band, one or more heated coils, a
resistive heating element, a refractory and conductive metal coil,
strip, or bar, or any combination thereof. Element 14: wherein the
one or more thermal heating elements comprise a single thermal
heating element that forms a spiral array. Element 15: wherein the
one or more thermal heating elements comprises at least a first set
of thermal heating elements and a second set of thermal heating
elements, and wherein the first and second sets of thermal heating
elements are controlled independent of each other. Element 16:
wherein the one or more thermal heating elements comprises a
plurality of individual thermal heating elements that are each
powered independent of each other.
[0081] Element 17: wherein actively manipulating the thermal
profile of the contents within the infiltration chamber with the
one or more thermal conduits comprises heating matrix reinforcement
materials and a binder material disposed within the infiltration
chamber so that the binder material liquefies and infiltrates the
matrix reinforcement materials. Element 18: wherein the contents
within the infiltration chamber are molten contents and actively
manipulating the thermal profile of the contents within the
infiltration chamber with the one or more thermal conduits
comprises selectively cooling portions of the molten contents with
the one or more thermal conduits, and varying a thermal profile of
the molten contents with the one or more thermal conduits and
thereby facilitating directional solidification of the molten
contents. Element 19: wherein selectively cooling portions of the
molten contents with the one or more thermal conduits comprises
generating a thermal gradient along an axial height of the mold
assembly with the one or more thermal conduits. Element 20: wherein
the one or more component parts further include at least one of a
top plate positioned above the mold assembly and a bottom plate
positioned below the mold assembly, and wherein placing the one or
more thermal conduits in thermal communication with the
infiltration chamber comprises placing the one or more thermal
conduits positioned within at least one of the top plate and the
bottom plate in thermal communication with the infiltration
chamber. Element 21: wherein the one or more thermal conduits
comprises at least a first set of thermal conduits and a second set
of thermal conduits, the method further comprising operating the
first and second sets of thermal conduits independently. Element
22: wherein the one or more thermal conduits comprises a plurality
of individual thermal conduits, the method further comprising
operating each individual thermal conduit independently. Element
23: further comprising arranging an outer insulation assembly about
at least a portion of an exterior of the heat-exchanging enclosure,
the outer insulation assembly including at least a sidewall
insulator, and insulating the mold assembly and the heat-exchanging
enclosure with the outer insulation assembly. Element 24: wherein
the outer insulation assembly further includes a top insulator
positioned above the mold assembly, the method further comprising
simultaneously raising the sidewall insulator and the top insulator
and thereby exposing portions of the heat-exchanging enclosure, and
cooling the mold assembly as the sidewall insulator and the top
insulator are raised. Element 25: wherein the outer insulation
assembly further includes a bottom insulator positioned below the
mold assembly, the method further comprising moving the bottom
insulator laterally with respect to the mold assembly, and
arranging a thermal heat sink beneath the mold assembly. Element
26: wherein the one or more thermal conduits contain a fluid, and
wherein placing the one or more thermal conduits in thermal
communication with the infiltration chamber comprises circulating
the fluid through the one or more thermal conduits and thereby
placing the fluid in thermal communication with the infiltration
chamber. Element 27: wherein the one or more thermal conduits
comprise one or more thermal heating elements, and wherein placing
the one or more thermal conduits in thermal communication with the
infiltration chamber comprises placing the one or more thermal
heating elements in thermal communication with the infiltration
chamber.
[0082] By way of non-limiting example, exemplary combinations
applicable to A, B, and C include: Element 8 with Element 9;
Element 11 with Element 12; Element 13 with Element 14; Element 13
with Element 15; Element 13 with Element 16; Element 18 with
Element 19; Element 23 with Element 24; and Element 23 with Element
25.
[0083] Therefore, the disclosed systems and methods are well
adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as
those that are inherent therein. The particular embodiments
disclosed above are illustrative only, as the teachings of the
present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but
equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the
benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are
intended to the details of construction or design herein shown,
other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore
evident that the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed
above may be altered, combined, or modified and all such variations
are considered within the scope of the present disclosure. The
systems and methods illustratively disclosed herein may suitably be
practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically
disclosed herein and/or any optional element disclosed herein.
While compositions and methods are described in terms of
"comprising," "containing," or "including" various components or
steps, the compositions and methods can also "consist essentially
of" or "consist of" the various components and steps. All numbers
and ranges disclosed above may vary by some amount. Whenever a
numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed,
any number and any included range falling within the range is
specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of
the form, "from about a to about b," or, equivalently, "from
approximately a to b," or, equivalently, "from approximately a-b")
disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and
range encompassed within the broader range of values. Also, the
terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless
otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover,
the indefinite articles "a" or "an," as used in the claims, are
defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it
introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or
term in this specification and one or more patent or other
documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the
definitions that are consistent with this specification should be
adopted.
[0084] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of" preceding a
series of items, with the terms "and" or "or" to separate any of
the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of
the list (i.e., each item). The phrase "at least one of" allows a
meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or
at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one
of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases "at least one
of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" each refer to only
A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at
least one of each of A, B, and C.
* * * * *